Vegan activists, livestock thieves in stock squad’s crosshairs

Call for calm between vegan activists and farmers

The West Australian

VideoThere's been a call for calm as a fight between vegan activists and farmers has intensified following an incident in Harvey.

A special rural police squad disbanded 11 years ago could be revived and tougher laws introduced to tackle illegal activity in the country, including stock theft and animal activist attacks on farmers.

Agriculture Minister Alannah MacTiernan said the State Government was open to reforming the stock squad, a specialist livestock police unit disbanded in 2008 under the previous Labor government.

Nationals WA agriculture spokesman Colin de Grussa called for greater Government protection for farmers, including extra resources for law enforcement agencies and the strengthening of regulations around the use of drones for clandestine surveillance.

Ms MacTiernan said that as the price of livestock had increased, so had the risk of livestock theft, and the issue would be raised at a meeting next week with senior police. Southern Cross police reported 120 merino ewes and hoggets stolen from Marvel Loch in recent days.

Ms MacTiernan also committed to a parliamentary committee review of legislation for drone use.

Mr de Grussa said in his home area of Esperance there were regular reports of drone sightings on farms.

“People walk out of their houses in the morning and see a drone, hovering low, flying across the front of their shed to see what is in there,” he said.

Mr de Grussa said farmers and their families, and the wider livestock industry – including transporters, stockyard employees and people attending agricultural educational facilities such as the Muresk Institute at Northam – had the right to feel safe when going about their lawful business.

The calls from Mr de Grussa’s push follows a spate of stock thefts driven by soaring livestock prices, and an increase in vegan activist attacks on livestock farmers.

Many farmers have said they felt vulnerable after animal activist group Aussie Farms listed farm locations and contact details on an interactive map.

In a recent incident, Harvey dairy farmer Jason Parravicini fired two shots from his shotgun after a violent confrontation with two vegan activists filming calves on his property.

WAFarmers has organised a “calm the farm” meeting in Harvey next week.

WA police representatives and lawyers will speak to dairy and meat farmers about their legal rights and how to respond to activists trespassing on their property.